Allegedly stolen details for ‘tipsters’ of drug dealing allegations are causing controversy for Greater Manchester Police.
Various media sources are claiming that a memory stick stolen from an officers home in Oldham contained the contact details of people who had tipped the police with drug dealing allegations.
Yet, while a ‘serious leak of sensitive information’ has been confirmed by the police, they have been quick to deny that any ‘tipsters’ details were on the device.
Assistant Chief Constable Gary Sherwan sought to reassure people.
“I want to make it clear that any suggestion that this memory stick contained lists of names of people who ‘tipped off’ police is inaccurate,” he said.
The theft occurred at the Oldham residence of a Greater Manchester police officer on 17 July.
The device is not thought to be password protected and a team of officers have been assigned to find the burglars and recover the memory stick.
Police believe it was an opportunistic burglary which occurred when a back door was left open and do not think the officer was deliberately targeted.
The burgled officer is currently suspended pending the results of an investigation as the police force, looks to stress the importance of keeping information secure to other officers.
Police are keen to speak to anyone with information about the red and orange memory stick and want to trace a black Volkswagen Gold, registration MJ58 JVX which was also stolen in the incident.
The incident has been referred to the Police Complaints Commission and the Information Commissioner.
